Tuscany Walking & Wine

The trip starts today in Pisa at our centrally located hotel. The city's famous leaning tower and beautiful Campo del Miracoli are stunning testaments to a time when Pisa was 1 of the Mediterranean's major maritime powers. Your Tour Leader plans to meet everyone at the hotel for a welcome meeting today at 6.30 pm and for those that wish, there is the chance to go out for dinner afterwards. Should you miss the meeting, your Leader will inform you of any essential information as soon as you catch up. Pisa Airport is just a few kilometres/miles from the centre of town so it's easiest to organise your own transfer to the joining hotel; an arrival transfer is not included with this tour. The Pisa Mover is an automated shuttle train that departs from the airport to Pisa Central Station approximately every 10 minutes with a journey time of 5 minutes. Tickets cost €5 Euro. It's a 10 minute walk from here to our hotel. Allow €15-20 Euro for a taxi from the airport to hotel, there is a taxi rank outside the terminal building. We won't be climbing up the Leaning Tower so if that's on your wish list or you'd like to explore Pisa in greater depth, be assure to arrive earlier in the day or why not book an additional pre-tour night in the city. Pisa is a compact city and very easy to explore on foot. Stay: Hotel Bologna (Comfortable)

This morning we drive towards San Gimignano, parking our bus in the rolling countryside outside of the town. We set off on a hike along part of the Via Francigena cycle trail,(the Via Francigena is an ancient pilgrimage route running all the way from Canterbury to Rome), along a wide gravel 'white' track typical of the region, past vineyards and rural houses. The 14 medieval towers of San Gimignano are often in sight in the near distance. San Gimignano is a beautifully preserved example of a classic Tuscan medieval hilltop town. It prospered during the 12th and 13th centuries, until a combination of local aristocratic rivalry and the arrival of the Black death devastated trade. We will have some free time to explore the town, have a relaxing lunch in 1 of many cafes and perhaps walk up to the Torre Grossa, the tallest of the town's towers or visit the Duomo.

In the early afternoon we'll head back on foot to the bus. It's a short drive to the first wine tasting of the holiday at the nearby Sovestro winery. The Failli family produce both the local San Gimignano Vernaccia white wine as well as Chianti reds. We then continue to our base for the next 2 nights, Castellina in Chianti, a country town with Etruscan and Roman origins. Castellina lies at an altitude of around 580m/1902ft in the heart of the Chianti Hills, an area famous for its wine.

Today's leisurely-grade 10 kilometre/6.20 miles walk is expected to take around three-and-a-half hours with a total ascent and descent during the course of the walk of 365 metres/1197 feet. Stay: Hotel Colle Etrusco Salivolpi (Comfortable) (B)

We head out from our hotel after breakfast this morning on an undulating route that takes us through the countryside south from Castellina past vineyards, fields and olive groves. Much of the trail is on 'strade bianchi', the rural backroads that wind their way across the countryside of Tuscany and Umbria, formed from white compacted limestone gravel. Our destination is the beautiful Castello La Leccia winery which produces organically cultivated Chianti Classico wines. We'll enjoy a tasting of Chianti wines and a light lunch of local cheeses and cold cuts.

We drive back to our hotel in the afternoon and the rest of the day is left free. You can explore the charming village of Castellina; the centre is just a few minutes walk from the hotel. Sit back and observe local life while enjoying an espresso or aperitivo at a pavement cafe, or maybe indulge your sweet tooth with a gelato. Our historic hotel has a lovely garden with a swimming pool (open in season), a great place to relax and read a book.

Today's moderate-grade 14 kilometre/8.70 miles walk is expected to take around four hours with a total ascent and descent during the course of the walk of 420 metres/1378 feet. Stay: Hotel Colle Etrusco Salivolpi (Comfortable) (B/L)

Our final destination today is Pienza in southern Tuscany, but we will stop for most of the day in the fabulous medieval city of Siena where our time is free to explore the Wednesday market and other sights. With its magnificent Gothic architecture, Siena was once a rival to Florence in power and trade, the city controlled the trade routes between France and Rome, as well as the southern Tuscan wool industry. Today it stands as a classic Italian city, with its magnificent central square, Il Campo, and the awe inspiring grandeur of the Duomo overlooking the Via di Citta. The city centre is traffic-free, making it ideal to wander around on foot, soaking up the many intriguing sights. The focal point is the Piazza del Campo, a semi-circular area surrounded by ancient buildings, and overlooked by a 100 metre/328 feet bell tower, the Torre del Mangia. The Piazza is also used for a horse race twice a year - the famous Palio, when horses and their riders hurtle dangerously around the square to the delight of the crowds.

Pienza, our base for the next three nights, is a classic hill-top town and jewel of Renaissance architecture that UNESCO declared a World Heritage Site in 1996. Stay: Relais II Chiostro di Pienza Hotel (Comfortable) (B)

Our walk today makes a panoramic loop through the stunning countryside around Pienza and is known locally as the 'Gladiator hike' as scenes from that movie were filmed here. Along the route we pass by the iconic Vitaleta chapel, a tiny, secluded building perched on a hill framed by cypress trees.

Pienza is known for its pecorino cheese and in the afternoon there's the option to enjoy a cheese tasting at the Armellini family's cheese shop in the town. Pecorino is produced from sheep of Sardinian stock, many farmers having relocated here from Sardinia in the 20th century.

Today's 10 kilometre/6.20 miles leisurely-grade walk is expected to take around 3 hours with a total descent and ascent of 350 metres/1148 feet. Stay: Relais II Chiostro di Pienza Hotel (Comfortable) (B)

Today we drive from Pienza to San Quirico D'Orcia a beautiful town that lies along the Via Francigena pilgrimage route. We'll have time for a look around here, before we set out on our walk. Descending from the town we cross the Asso river and follow undulating trails with wide open views of the classic Val D'Orcia. Vineyards surround us and the towers of Siena are visible on the horizon. We'll enjoy a picnic lunch along the trail. Our final destination is the hilltop town of Montalcino located at just over 500 metres/1640 feet above sea level. We have some free time to explore and the chance to enjoy a wine tasting of the famous Brunello di Montalcino wine.

Today's 13 kilometre/8.0 miles moderate-grade walk is expected to take around 5 hours with a total ascent of 523 metres/1715 feet and descent of 383 metres/1256 feet. Stay: Relais II Chiostro di Pienza Hotel (Comfortable) (B/L)

Leaving the rolling hills of southern Tuscany behind we head for our final destination of the holiday, the fabulous city of Florence. The spiritual home of the Renaissance, Florence is considered by many to be 1 of the most beautiful cities in Italy. On arrival our leader will take us out on an orientation walk with the rest of the day left free to explore further. Highlights include the Ponte Vecchio, the oldest and most famous bridge in Florence and the only 1 that was not demolished during the German retreat of 1944 and the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore (outside only) with its giant dome that dominates the city skyline. Early evening is the perfect time to walk up to the Piazzale Michaelangelo for a great view over the city. Stay: Classic Hotel Florence (Comfortable) (B)

The trip ends after breakfast this morning at our hotel in Florence.

There are no actvities planned for today and you are free to depart at any time. If you are departing later in the day luggage storage facilities are available at our hotel.

If you would like to receive a complimentary airport transfer today, you'll need to depart from either Pisa Galileo Galilei International Airport (PSA) or Florence Peretola Airport (FLR). The transfer is provided by train or tram, our hotel is within a short walking distance from Florence Centrale Railway Station. If departing from Pisa Airport your tour leader will provide you with tickets for the train direct from Florence Centrale Railway Station to Pisa Centrale Station and then on to the airport on the Pisa Mover rail shuttle. The total journey time is around 90 minutes. If you are departing from Florence Airport you will be provided with a ticket for the T2 tram which runs direct from Florence Centrale Railway Station, a journey of around 20 minutes. (B)